Alberta Quilter

Yes, I believe they do. My understanding is that any hotel booking through the cruise line warranted transportation. However, I would seriously check the Pan Pacific's website and compare the cost of the HAL package to two nights booked on your own. A taxi from the airport to the Pan Pacific is a fixed rate (not sure of the current rate but it was around $35 a few years ago). You might be better off booking on your own and taking a taxi than paying HAL's per person rates.

I understand Jeanny. So, you're actually flying from Saskatoon on embarkation day? I thought you were flying to Calgary the day before and flying from Calgary to Vancouver on embarkation day. I think that plan is very iffy. I know there are many flights from Calgary to Vancouver, and you are starting early. It could work but it may not. Too many variables, IMO. I recognize that I'm anal about these things but I would not take that chance. Is there anything that can be done to get the kids ready beforehand and leave them with your sibling a day earlier so you can fly out the day before embarkation day? Or even if you could get to Calgary on the day before and stay the night there, that would reduce the risk somewhat. There are two hotels right at the airport. When in July would you be travelling through Calgary? The Stampede may play a factor, too, if travelling between July 7 - 16/23.

I've only travelled on HAL and only before the pandemic but my experiences at Canada Place on a 3 ship day have been closer to manic/mayhem than, say, boarding in FLL where there is only one ship at a terminal. The signage at Canada Place is not great so make sure you're following the directions of the staff for your cruise line and get on the correct ship! Most people, I think, want to get the most out of their cruise and like to be onboard right away; heck, I'm one of those. But on a 3 ship day, I would arrange for a late checkout or store the bags with the hotel and tour a bit before heading to Canada Place no earlier than 3 hours before sailaway. When it's a one ship day, then one can go early.

Jeanny, while it's been a while since I was last at Canada Place, there was no where to sit at all. It's a lot of standing around until after the security/immigration/check in process. I highly recommend flying in the day before, spending the extra money (I consider it insurance!) to stay overnight and check in later as martincath recommended. Three ships in port is a lot for Vancouver and often that causes mayhem in the terminal. I would not go early at all, not with three ships in port that day. And I would not fly in the day of the cruise, even from Calgary. You'll probably be fine if you do, but there could be weather or mechanical issues, never mind a last minute cancellation. Hopefully, the airlines sort themselves out by July but one never knows. I hope you enjoy your first cruise! Mine was magical!

Thank you very much! I missed that thread.

I'm considering a future cruise on the Volendam and have a few questions about CO. I understand about the upgrade but to clarify, if I book an HH, I could book CO and potentially get as high as a C? As others have said, that would be the only reason for booking CO as I already get some of the other priorities. I believe I would have to pay for CO now which would be fine but is that CO charge refundable should I later cancel the cruise? It is more than a year away... And does the cost of CO depend on the length of the cruise? This is a three week cruise. Thanks for your help!

I just wanted to let you know that I had the BEST gelato in Taormina. Don't recall the name of the shop but we were in a central square, pedestrian only. There was a gelato place at one corner of the square; it's not that place. If you were facing so that the corner shop was on the right and there is a city gate down the street, the shop we were recommended to by our tour guide was a few doors down on the left. This was in 2013 so who knows if it's still there. Hopefully, it still is. It was amazing; so much so, I still think of it all these years later.

We did a pre cruise tour in BA with HAL many years ago so my info could be very outdated and short on details. We were met at baggage claim and transferred to the hotel, I think in a taxi. I think we should have received a packet of info with the schedule at the airport but it was not provided to us there. There was a HAL rep at the hotel who retrieved the info packet. We did not do an overland tour so cannot comment on that. I do recall two or three days of touring which were similar to the shore excursions one could book in BA: a city tour, a boat ride in the delta and a gaucho show. Oh, and we also went to a tango show one evening. I think if you read the current shorex descriptions, you’ll get a good idea of what tours you’ll be doing.

Many years ago, I booked a group of ten of us by calling Ship Services as previously suggested. All of our bookings were previously linked for dining so it was quite easy to do. But I did have to pay in full at that time for all ten of us. I suggest you start with Ship Services.

It’s been quite a while since I last arrived in Vancouver via ship but I believe so. IIRC, it was no different than flying back to Canada from elsewhere. You fill out the form and hand it in at the terminal (or the front desk onboard). But I don’t know if they still have that form where one states how much they spent….; I haven’t left Canada since just before the pandemic!

In Vancouver, at the cruise terminal, prior to check-in/embarkation.

Rich, I'm glad you're doing this thread! I'll be able to cruise vicariously through you! I hope you have a wonderful time!

I hope you get this resolved. I do recall several years ago someone posting about a similar situation. In that case, it turned out to be the Dutch Royal family for whom HAL bumped the cruiser. IIRC the cruiser was able to get her cabana back. I would certainly escalate this once you get onboard, if it's not resolved before boarding. Take all documentation regarding the cabana booking with you. Maybe a possible resolution is using two smaller cabanas but lifting the drapery in between the two? Might that work? I don't know if that can be done though; I've never used a cabana. Good Luck!

Thank you. I'll take your word that there are no rooms on deck 2; I don't have the time to check. My bad. But my comment still stands for other ships where there are rooms below the prom deck. People may refer to this thread even if they're not cruising on Pinnacle class ships.

Running is not permitted on the promenade deck due to people sleeping/napping in their rooms below. I would think this would be even more of an issue "very early in the morning". I know I'd be ticked off to hear the thumping of someone running above me every few minutes in the wee hours of the day.

I’ve stayed at both, although not for a few years now. Both are great hotels and you won’t do wrong with either one. The PP, if you have booked a harbour view room, has spectacular views and it is entertaining to watch the goings on in the harbour. The bellman in both hotels will take your luggage to the ship; you have to be in the room when they come to pick it up. The PP is between the Waterfront and the harbour, so the views are much more limited at the Waterfront although some rooms have a bit of a harbour view. If the view is important to you, stick with the PP reservation. Check into the loyalty programs for both hotels to see if a free breakfast or wifi is offered. I know I did get a free breakfast at the Waterfront but I can’t remember if that was through their loyalty program or my airline loyalty program (I think it might have been the airline program but wanted to mention it just in case my memory is faulty). The PP is located right above the cruise terminal which is very handy but the Waterfront is right across the street and there is an underground tunnel to the PP/Canada Place. I hope that helps. There are other hotels that are recommended here on CC, by locals, that are less expensive but I’ve only stayed at these two hotels and the Sheraton Wall Centre (we weren’t fond of the Sheraton Wall Centre). I had booked the Auberge for a couple of trips that got cancelled so I’ve not actually stayed there. It’s behind the Waterfront so still within walking distance to the cruise terminal.

Great wave! And my friends passed behind you as it was happening so I got to see them, too.

Maybe it was the large container ship. Do they toot?!

I just heard a toot!

My understanding is that it is the charge that counts. The method of payment doesn’t.

OP, I just wanted to point out that your free Cruise likely does not need to be in the Caribbean or Mexico, in spite of what the letter says. When I called to redeem my free cruise, I was told it could be used anywhere; it was basically a credit. I used it on a Pacific Coast cruise and upgraded the room. When you call the number on the letter, ask about that. Things may have changed since my experience. Congratulations!

Wow, Mary, I'm surprised (and sorry) to hear that. Would you please provide more details about what happened and where the failures occurred? My trip last year was less than perfect but they rallied very well to make up for delays then. Were some of the issues due to wildfires in the area? I know Jasper has been having a tough time with wildfires...

You might want to post your questions in the Canada/New England forum https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/9-canadanew-england/ instead of the Canada/Alaska forum. For Sydney, I recommend going to Fortress of Louisbourg, although I'm not sure there will be many actors at that time which really add to the enjoyment. Can't help with the fall foliage question.

I call it back bacon. Another term is pea meal bacon if the outside is coated. I don’t know of any Canadian who calls it Canadian bacon but there probably are some who do…

I have tipped the laundry staff in the past by putting the cash in an envelope and dropping it off at the Front Desk.